Hong Kong Anglican Church adopts the Anglican Covenant

The province’s general secretary, the Rev. Peter Koon, wrote to the secretary general of the Anglican Communion, the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, informing him of the decision by HKSKH’s sixth General Synod held from June 2-5.

Hong Kong is the seventh province to adopt the covenant, the others are La Iglesia Anglicana de Mexico, The Church of the Province of Myanmar, the Church in the Province of the West Indies, Church of the Province of South East Asia (with their own preamble), the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea, and La Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de America.

The Church of Ireland has subscribed to it, and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa has adopted it subject to a ratification at its next Provincial Synod.

The Scottish Episcopal Church’s General Synod defeated a resolution to agree in principle to adopt the covenant in June 2012.

The Anglican Communion Covenant, a document that outlines the common life and values of the communion, was described by former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams as “something that helps us know where we stand together and also helps us to intensify our fellowship and our trust.” It includes a section that proposes how to address significant disagreements within the Anglican Communion.

The idea of a covenant was first raised in 2004 and member churches are currently reviewing the latest and final version.